Your Coach in Your Pocket, Andre Louw

Short Game (Any shot around the green)

Most people include putting into the “short game” category, however putting is a game within the game its self. This we will cover in the next issue. Short game in this article refers to the shots around the green.

MYTH: “Short game is the most important; if your short game is good you will score well”

TRUTH: The better your ball striking is the less important short game becomes. You are probably wondering how I can say that the better your ball striking the less important short game becomes. What I have discovered using strokes gained stats to analyse a players true performance is that how short game has a different importance level to different golfers. For you to determine your true strengths and weaknesses you need to monitor your strokes gained stats before spending hours around the green. Check out www.golfstatscoach.com for more info.

Tiger Woods only had one short game shot in his final round of the 2019 Masters, so for him the short game was definitely not what made him win. Now the mid to high handicapped player is faced with more short game shots in a round due to either, distance limitations, poor ball striking or is someone that is very new to the game. The key is to place your attention in the areas that will gain you shots and not just generalise.

This being said though, if you have below average to poor skill in the short game department, no matter your skill level, it is worth your while to at least put in the effort to learn to hit a basic chip shot and a basic bunker shot.

Now let’s look at the factors that have an influence on the short game:

1. Strike

2. Club path and face angle

3. Angle of attack and loft of the club

4. Club head speed

A good shot is a combination of all these factors working together and also depends on the type of shot you want to play. I will cover the basic bunker and chip shot.

Bunker shots

Most players I come across that struggle getting out of bunkers do not understand the opposite rule in golf “hit down to get the ball up”. They try and scoop the ball out of the sand instead of using the bounce angle of the club to their advantage. Tip: Hit the block out of the sand; do not help the ball up.

Hit the block out of the sand

Drill: Practice striking the line first as most bad bunker shots are a result of a bad strike.

Chipping

I see too many people over complicate the shot and wanting to take the airborne route unnecessarily. Choosing the right shot to play at the right time is a big part in having success with your chipping. The majority of the time it is best to get the ball rolling on the green as quickly as possible, in other words playing the shot that requires the least amount of movement as well as the least effort.

Here are some factors to take into consideration:

What is the lie?

How much distance between you and the edge of the green?

How much green is there between the edge of the green and the hole?

As we find ourselves in the winter months, most lies you will be faced with will be firmer than normal and this is what gets under the skin of most players who struggle to chip.

Tip: Maintain the “Y” when chipping.

Please look out for the next issue of your favourite golf magazine where I will provide you with some insight in improving your putting.